De Beers Pledges $5 Million to Expand Surat Diamond Grading Center

The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR), part of The De Beers Group of Companies, will spend $5 million to expand its diamond grading and testing center in Surat, India.

The facility was established with a $10 million investment in 2015. It provides polished diamond grading services, diamond verification services, and melee testing and screening.

The company also announced that it will debut an education service in Surat to offer classes on polished diamond grading, diamond foundation, and synthetics to support further growth of the Indian sector.

“From cutting and polishing rough diamonds to consumer demand for diamond jewelry, India is vital to the diamond industry and the diamond industry is vital to India,” said Jonathan Kendall, president of IIDGR, in a statement. “Through the IIDGR, De Beers Group is investing in innovations to ensure India maintains its position as a global diamond hub, as well as ensuring that the sector has the skills and tools to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”